Francisco María Solano Ortiz de Rozas (10 October 1768There is some discrepancy regarding his date of birth. The date given here is from his service records. However, according to Spanish historian Adolfo de Castro, it was 10 December 1769. (Macía & Brocos) – 29 May 1808), 2nd Marquis de Socorro and 6th Marquis de la Solana, was a Spanish military officer. Solano was one of the three captains-general slain by the Spanish population following the Madrid Uprising (2 May 1808), the two others being Filanghieri in Galicia and Count Torre del Fresno in Estremadura.

Early career

Solano was promoted to captain of Cavalry in June 1784. He saw action in

Spanish America Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' Spanish Empire, imperial era between 15th and 19th centur ...

and in two campaigns in

Oran Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...

. He was promoted to colonel in April 1792. He saw further action in the

War of the Pyrenees The War of the Pyrenees, also known as War of Roussillon or War of the Convention, was the Pyrenees, Pyrenean front of the First Coalition's war against the First French Republic. It pitted Revolutionary France against the kingdoms of History ...

(1793–July 1795) and in the

War of the Oranges The War of the Oranges (; ; ) was a brief conflict in 1801 in which Spanish forces, instigated by the government of France, and ultimately supported by the French military, invaded Portugal. The war resulted in the Treaty of Badajoz, the los ...

(1801). In October 1802, Solano was promoted to lieutenant general and in November 1805 he was appointed military governor of

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

,. Macía Arce, José Carlos & José Martín Brocos Fernández
"Francisco María Solano Ortiz de Rozas".
''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico''.

Real Academia de la Historia The Royal Academy of History (, RAH) is a Spanish institution in Madrid that studies history "ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, scientific, of letters and arts, that is to say, the different branches of life, of c ...

. Retrieved 7 February 2023. where he set up free schools based on the methods of the Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (; ; ; 12 January 1746 – 17 February 1827) was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach. He founded several educational institutions both in German- and French-speaking ...

Peninsular War

In 1807, following the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau, allowing for the invasion of Portugal, Solano led one of the three auxiliary Spanish corps that aided General Junot's Army of the Gironde in invading that country. Setting out from

Badajoz Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portugal, Portuguese Portugal–Spain border, border, on the left bank of the river ...

with 9,500 troops, Solano was to take the garrison town of

Elvas Elvas (), officially the City of Elvas (), is a Portuguese municipality, former episcopal city and frontier fortress of easternmost central Portugal, located in the district of Portalegre in Alentejo. It is situated about east of Lisbon, and ab ...

and then march on Lisbon along the left bank of the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

. Oman, Charles (1902)
''A History of the Peninsula War'', Vol. I.
''Project Gutenberg''. Retrieved 7 February 2023. However, Solano did not enter Portugal until 2 December, three days after Junot had entered Lisbon. Following the Madrid Uprising (2 May 1808), Solano was killed on 27 May by an angry mob that suspected him of collaborating with the French, especially with the French fleet moored in the Bay of Cadiz. Escaping an initial attempt on his life, he took refuge at a friend's house, from which he was captured and led to an improvised gallows. On the way there, he was stabbed to death.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solana, Francisco Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars 1768 births 1808 deaths Military personnel from Caracas Viceroyalty of New Granada people